Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-11-25
.,--ohestsr Courier.

81 hll Of the duaI sofeihLnen'
st'' Ip' zion of the Miksdo IS respon-
r. s.or ~ in 1868, japan has SO com
81 IaIs. .,.-f.iued the idea of progress,
.sg brosd sunlight of civilization
S'g .p-iss Of isolation, that one must
s.rk or cruel page OF her his
nI u' teaIjpg Of reluctance. Until
viii toolIy one Of the lingering relics
5IeCsn--5y Wss the torture of persons
sGS'I1liiTnl the courts of Justice The
siglsa .rLn ~ we're of the most re-
s91s Sm; and considering the
d's InaTeInment had appointed a
lls;s, o1 before 1871, to repeal the
s1; :..tIon of the criminal law, it is
s1.s.. the fusl prohibition of tor
' g. 50 long delayed.
. Is' .npiied to some of the soldiers
o Ss Ss.trsbsshi barracks, but it may
ps :. - Understood that the mutineers
q! u %. r we're the last 10 suffer the
lh 'ii1o n1Dishments; and the very de-
1l,'l, 1,rFps.iou Of opinion on the part
= sAS officials in Japen-and the
ln~ .5s in the Anglo-Japanese news
n'DI bIs.tened the abolition OF the
and diabolical practice at once
s ,l.srsr They have established law
l3iC nnder foreiga guidance, founding
W. s,stem of Jurisprudence on the
.T. LAWYERS to-day plead in their
~ y. -. end prisoners on their trial have
~. distance of counsel. But the pur-
'.' in view is to glance at the old
..I1sB Of Japan, snd to briefly de-
- .l-' come of the forms Of torture en-
I'. d1ring examination of prisoners
Yoke them into confession of their
'.,, ,uFrT, CRUCIFIXION DEATH.
n osrlous crimes were formerly pun.
~ y 5v destb, the enormity Of the deed
20 marked by the msnner of COM
E s+s the sentence. Il some cases the
,.,t7 gss decapitAiion only; exposure
,ss be.d often followed as an addition
4 'roms. The order TO expose the head
70 down, which at times supplement-
4 \, .sntepce. proclaimed the greater in
f. NJ the criminal Crucifixion was a
E,neful punishment, arousing the great
I. terror and the sentence was fulfilled
f. sfsldish elaboration and atrocity
Ended to msgnity the fears of the vic
r. The prisoner, in state almost OF
Erirty. was secured by strong
Ia-g6 cords to 3 BAN 300 cross placed III
IpsrDendiCulsr position. After being eX
[5,s6 for some time, the execulioneTs
|Eye called to complete their fearful
.rk: and these wretches, who delighted
prolOT giDg the suff ring Of their vic
Ers. we're selected from the most de-
plsei class Of human beings in Japan
b Hinin-sO low, indeed, that q street
bg yss their superior in the community.
fEo Of these exeCutionerS, armed with
.,ng spears, would approach the culprit,
srndishing the weapons before his face
Behold the spear, they would cry in
ID voices; and when the officer, charged
viii conducting the execution made q
ga, the spears were thrust into the
bEer psrt Of the criminals abdomen
% both sides snd passed slowly upward
Enough the body until the blades were
.IpOsed above the shoulders, and the
,liYerlng mass was transflxed Other
aTslties we're practiced, aud the last re-
1GIS Of life were expelled by stabbing
be criminal in the throat. Persons
riy Of murder, including parricide,
Ege reserved for 8 horrid death. The
,tsOner, securely bound to stake, was
opposed in the public street, without
bod, to receive the jeers of the lowest
.ssseS of the immunity. The sentence
MS fnslly completed by decapitstion, the
Ei;Oner'S head being slowly severed from
Is body with bamboo saw. The most
sTllsh cruelty could not devise q more
tgaitu! and prolDngued tol ture.
THE FIRE TORTURE.
The most extreme of revolving cruelties
iere the various applications of the fire
atuFe, but for the victim some of them
ID the one advantage of more speedily
his terrible sufferiugs. The
Cased, hands and feet secured, vas sus-
ended, head downward, in q cage made
I green bamboo. The cage was con-
lived to slowly revolve, the culprit be-
z exposed to the fierce heat of char
9A IRE, which was frequently replen-
NED OY the executioners.
Vlentlmes, hsppiiy for the wretched
a1sier, the fun IS I The charcoal pro-
.aesd sun cation. Another fire torture
rs 70 compel the prisoner to stand upon
lsa'ed grating or grid, beneath which
" was constantly kept ourning He was
ua'Is 10 leave the small enclosure, being
. surrounded by q strong railing.
'saNo Charcoal Placed In The interior of
Is.al Tunnel was another description OF
= torture. The tube containing the
s4Su CHARCOAL was securely bound in
: grasp OF the prisoner, and he was
, sH oy the attendants to walk quickly
|, wv !, exposing the broad end of the tube
=. We WIND, thereby acceleratiDg the
~, .1. sna increasing his own suffer ngs.
,-vSaef agonizing torture was produced
(! y. sle spp ication Of boiling oil to the
~. Nv OF the victim, and it was q torture
I ssael IN SO many ways that only
.asaing details of hellish devices to
.1 human suff ring could picture,
nisy. ''' ~
Mt -Ie stone torture wss usually the first
~ A.! pfachced upon a prisoner. He
&c. i0lcto to PROSTATE himself, face
,,1Iinafo, upon the spexes of five tri-
~ s.'At SNAPPED blocks of hard wood, the
s,, ~, u his legs being exposed to the
h. e edges. While securely held In
: s, heavy stones were placed on
,ov, ,i'dm's thighs, snd others were
l.iat, aooed, to increase the terrible
isSi s'' until ne became unconscious or
~ his intention to confess.
ro ny oox torture was a still more
N, '. - contrivsnce. Bound hand and
on ~ sle eulprit vas forced into a strong
mo sT Do.t two feet square, having q GOV.
=, "aue TO fit the inside. and capable